1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to communications. More particularly, this invention relates to communication services that are initiated by text messaging or other messaging platforms.
2. State of the Art
Telephone devices such as traditional landline phones and mobile phones include a keypad or dialer that is operated by a user to initiate a conversation with one or more individuals. Mobile phones also typically employ a graphical user interface that allows the user to store and maintain a list of contacts and phone numbers associated therewith. The user interacts with the interface to identify a particular contact and then selectively initiate a conversation with the particularly contact.
Advanced cellular services introduced technology that assisted customers' needs for availability and receipt of instantaneous information. One such technology, known as Short Messaging Service (SMS), enables individuals to send and receive short text messages on mobile phones and other mobile devices (and occasionally even on computers). SMS was developed in Europe in the early 1990s. Initially, SMS was available as part of GSM networks; however, it is now available on a wide range of networks, including CDMA and 3G networks. SMS is a point-to-point communication method whereby an SMS message is transmitted from a wireless phone (or other mobile device or possibly a computer) to a short message service center (SMS-C), which acts as a store and forward system for short messages. The message is forwarded from the SMS-C to the destination phone (or other mobile device or possibly a computer).
The previously incorporated U.S. applications describe new advantageous communications services which can be accessed in a variety of ways. It is the inventors' goal to expand these services in other new and useful ways. In particular, it would be useful to allow people to contact you without revealing your true contact information. For example, if someone wants to be reachable by phone (or email or IM or text message) for a short period of time but not after that period of time, one would ordinarily need to change phone numbers, email addresses, etc. A situation in which this might arise is an online auction or selling something by classified advertisement. When the sale is concluded, it would be desirable to disable the phone number, email or other contact information that was used during the sale. Conversely, some people may find that they need to frequently change contact information but they want all of their contacts to know the new contact information. It would be desirable to effectively forward messages directed to old contact addresses and phone numbers to the new contact addresses and phone numbers, thereby relieving the need to notify all of one's contacts of the new contact information and relieving one's contacts from the need to update their contact lists.